Exclusive: Trump says Zelenskiy, not Putin, is holding up a Ukraine peace deal

Reuters ^ | Jan 15, 2026 | Steve Holland and Gram Slattery

[McGruff]

U.S. President Donald Trump told Reuters that Ukraine - not Russia - is holding up a potential peace deal, rhetoric that stands in marked contrast to that of European allies, who have consistently argued Moscow has little interest in ending its war in Ukraine.

In an exclusive interview in the Oval Office on Wednesday, Trump said Russian President Vladimir Putin is ready to wrap up his nearly four-year-old invasion of Ukraine. Zelenskiy, the U.S. president said, was more reticent.

"I think he's ready to make a deal," Trump said of the Russian president. "I think Ukraine is less ready to make a deal."

Asked why U.S.-led negotiations had not yet resolved Europe's largest land conflict since World War Two, Trump responded: "Zelenskiy."

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TOPICS: Foreign Affairs; Russia; Ukraine; War
KEYWORDS: alreuters; gramslattery; leftistsource; reuters; steveholland; tds

[nwrep]

Bingo. WE always suspected the little comedian was the aggressor. Now we know for sure.

[EC Washington]

This will have the paid Ukranians posters tied up in knots

[StayoutdaBushesWay]

Those of us who don't have Russian Derangement Syndrome have known this all along.

[TexasFreeper2009]

I am 100% sure, because they want Ukraine to give up land, which is never going to happen.

[Petrosius]

Not really. Trump is wrong.

[Brian Griffin]

"The Ukrainian Air Force reported that Russian forces launched 3 Iskander-M ballistic missiles from Rostov and Voronezh oblasts and 113 Shahed-type, Gerbera-type, and other drones — of which about 70 were Shahed-type drones — from the directions of Kursk and Oryol cities; Millerovo, Rostov Oblast; Primorsko-Akhtarsk, Krasnodar Krai; and occupied Cape Chauda and Hvardiiske, Crimea. The Ukrainian Air Force reported that Ukrainian forces downed 89 drones and one missile as of 0800 local time, that 24 drones and two missiles struck 13 locations, and that drone debris fell at three locations. The Ukrainian Air Force reported that Russian forces also launched 10 jet-powered drones targeting Kyiv Oblast between 0700 and 1700 local time, but that Ukrainian air defense downed all 10 drones."

https://understandingwar.org/research/russia-ukraine/russian-offensive-campaign-assessment-january-14-2026/

I see quite a number of narrow Russian advances. They don't seem to be coordinated in critical sectors and they are probably not able to be properly supported.

They are probably only able to be made because of Ukrainian shortfalls of men and ammo.

[mitchjackson1972]

LOL no

[SaxxonWoods]

This has been known the entire way.

[Sacajaweau]

Zelensky never heard of “To the Victor Goes the Spoils”.....and that’s been since the beginning of time.

[dforest]

Well, it will be giving up land one way or another. Are you ready to offer yourself to the Uke military? Even the Ukes are tired of it.

[Brian Griffin]

If the Russians think they can grab all of Donetsk Oblast they’ll probably not settle for less.

[MrRelevant]

Its time Z…..

https://www.cnn.com/2026/01/14/world/ukraines-new-defense-chief-reveals-200-000-soldiers-have-gone-awol-and-2-million-are-draft-dodging

More Russian propaganda from the Ukraine defense chief.

[Brian Griffin]

[as I have posted many times before]

Putin will probably effectively insist to the end that:
1. Russian assets to be returned by the EU, US & UK (over a specified time),
2. Ukraine to not be a threat to Russia as follows:
a. Ukraine to be neutral,
b. Ukraine not to be a member of any military alliance,
c. Ukraine not to have secret treaties,
d. no current or former foreign military personnel to be on the territory under the control of Ukraine, or in the airspace thereof, or on/in/above the territorial waters now under the control of Ukraine,
e. no nuclear weapons in Ukraine, or within its power,
f. no nuclear weapons development or production activity in Ukraine, or within its control,
g. no missiles with a diameter of more than that of a Patriot or long-range, or components thereof, to be in Ukraine, or within its control,
h. no drones in Ukrainian service to be within 12km of striking distance of Crimea, the Kerch bridge, Moscow, or Saint Petersburg,
except if within 50km of Kiev or Odessa or in train transit west of those cities for commercial export
i. no stealth aircraft to be on the territory under the control of Ukraine, or the airspace thereof,
excluding a certain number of manned aircraft [F-35s] to be flown only by persons who only possessed Ukrainian citizenship 20 years before,
3. full civil rights & anti-discrimination law protection for Russian ethnics and Russian language speakers resident in Ukraine,
4. Ukraine to enact and retain German-style anti-Nazi laws,
5. sanctions to be removed after a certain period of Russian good behavior.

Zelensky might insist that:
1. the agreement should state that it is a long-term armistice meant to preserve human life and property and that no territory is to be considered as ceded or any claim to territory relinquished,
2. Ukraine be allowed to have an unlimited number of trained military personnel of Ukrainian citizenship, artillery pieces, artillery shells, anti-aircraft guns, anti-aircraft missiles of types now in its service and future equivalents, tanks and drones of a range of less than a certain number of kilometers,
3. monetary aid from the US and EU to enable Ukraine to retain in military service its battle-hardened military personnel,
[I suggest up to $12 billion/year, up to a total of $200 billion.]
4. the Ukrainian right to buy for source country money listed weapons [Patriots, anti-aircraft weapons, artillery shells, missiles] from the US, EU and possibly the UK at prices in line with what the source entity government(s) would pay, subject to such restrictions as the law of the EU itself may impose,
[That’s a security guarantee that I think EU citizens and Americans can live with.]
5. sanctions on Russia to be removed only after a certain period of Russian good behavior.

Both sides will insist that all POWs be yielded up within a period of time.

The front lines should those of any day after November 24th selected by Trump as justified by US intelligence evidence. The US should identify these lines to both parties ASAP so they can agree to them.

There’s actually very little to negotiate:
1. the base schedule for the return of Russian assets,
and asset return rate changes to ensure the good behavior of Russians and Ukrainians,
including their paramilitaries and other irregulars,
2. possible plebiscites to allow Ukraine to recover pro-Kiev areas,
3. the range limit for missiles,
4. restrictions on drones,
5. the maximum allowable number of manned Ukrainian stealth aircraft [48 F-35s?],
and a possible reduction in size of their weapons bays and fuel tanks so they can’t carry nuclear weapons to Moscow,
6. demilitarized zones, perhaps one kilometer on each side of the settlement front lines,
7. partially demilitarized zones, perhaps
a. no armored vehicle within five kilometers of the demilitarized zones,
b. no concentration in excess of 1,000 troops or 10 armored vehicles within any square kilometer area within 10 kilometers of the demilitarized zones,
c. no concentration in excess of 2,000 troops or 20 apparently armored vehicles within any 4 square kilometer area within 20 kilometers of the demilitarized zones,
d. no concentration in excess of 10,000 troops and 500 associated vehicles within any 10 square kilometer area within 50 kilometers of the demilitarized zones,
e. no stealth aircraft within 50 kilometers of the demilitarized zones,
8. electricity arrangements,
9. pipeline transmission through Ukraine,
10. EU/UK/US funding and weapons provision to Ukraine,
11. the time period Russians must behave well before sanctions are removed.

[Antioch]

That’s been obvious to everyone. That comedy actor has been living in a dreamworld for years thinking he’s just one missile or a suitcase of Benjamins short of liberating Crimea. But more relevant is the wildly inaccurate US and NATO intelligence assessments of the Russian Federation “on the brink of collapse” and “losing 50 thousand men a month” coupled with the absolute disdain for the Russian military despite its clear lethality and the fact that it ALWAYS wins when attacked. Thats the neocon catnip that keeps the war going. Remember Trump is actually right-he could end the war in 48 hours. All he has to do is turn off Starlink and turn off the intelligence flow.

[Petrosius]

Ukraine still stands. Russia has not won yet.

[Rockingham]

I am not so sure than Trump’s remarks should be taken at face value. Depicting Zelensky as reluctant and Putin as a willing and ready peacemaker may serve other purposes. Trump is an exceptionally canny strategist and negotiator. And, by the way, Ukraine and Zelensky are not the aggressor. Russia and Putin are.

[bray]

Graft is such an ugly word.

[tinamina]

That’s been obvious for a long time

[Georgia Girl 2]

Like we didn’t already know this.